The Daughter
by rileypotter17
Summary: AU sequel to "The Lover". Hermione and Sirius are happily married with daughter Narcissa (named after a woman both dear to their hearts) in 1893 Paris. Watch their lives as a family and how Narcissa grows up, seeing that history has a tendency to always repeat itself.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all my lovely new readers and returning ones. Once again, this is a very AU story containing no magic and set in Paris, France. This is the sequel to **_**The Lover**_**, so if you haven't read that, you may have no idea what is going on here. There will be plot, eventually, but for now, enjoy these moments in your favorite character's lives. Thank you to all who reviewed and voted in my poll for a sequel, this is for you guys! This chapter starts out with the strong M rating already so read at your own risk!**

**~o0o~**

**Paris, France, 1893**

**1 Year Later**

**~o0o~**

"Darling, shhh, it's alright," Sirius Black stood in the room right next door to his and his wife's room, holding his one year old daughter in his arms as she slowly stopped crying. It was odd for baby Narcissa to cry through the night anymore, but tonight seemed to be the exception, and now that Hermione was getting some much needed rest, Sirius had decided to go and check on his little girl.

Narcissa Marguerite Black was his pride and joy. There was not a single other person in the world that he loved more, other than Hermione. He rocked the little girl and she curled her tiny fists around his glossy black hair, which had grown longer in the months after her birth and now hung to his shoulders.

As he pulled her back from his chest to look at her, he smiled at her sleepy eyes and her thumb in her mouth. She already had a lot of honey brown hair, like her mother, but her eyes were his: dark grey and expressive.

"Dada," Narcissa gurgled. Sirius was secretly very pleased that 'Dada' had been Narcissa's first word, but it was mostly due to their midnight cuddling sessions like this one, when Hermione was fast asleep.

"Yes, Dada loves you, so very much," he kissed his daughter on the forehead and instead of placing her back into her basinet, he brought her back to the bedroom.

Holding his daughter gently in one arm, he reached for the door handle and turned it, smiling wide at the angelic sight of his wife asleep in the bed they shared. Since they had been married, many changes had taken place in the manor, and he had modified his bedroom to be more of a sanctuary for Hermione than him. He wanted to do anything to make his wife and his daughter happy. He never thought a woman, or two of them, would make his world go around, but they did. Every day, once famed womanizer and bachelor extraordinaire Sirius Black, thought less and less about himself.

"Sirius?" Hermione's sweet voice rang through the semi-darkness and Narcissa giggled happily at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Cissa had a bit of a moment, but we are fine now, aren't we?" he asked his daughter before placing her in his wife's arms.

"Sweetheart, you were just starting to sleep through the night too!" Hermione admonished her beautiful child playfully, but instinctively knew that she was hungry. Without much ceremony, Hermione placed Narcissa on her thigh and pulled down her rose colored chemise to expose her breasts for her child, who immediately latched on and started to feed. Sirius crawled closer to her on the bed, playing absently with some of Hermione's messy curls.

"I will never get tired of watching this. It is the sweetest, most loving, and slightly erotic thing I have ever seen," his voice was low and Hermione sensed desire there as she smoothed the brown tufts of hair on Narcissa's head.

"Tomorrow can we have Fleur take her for a bit so that we can have the morning to ourselves? I am just starting to get my energy back and I feel like I miss you even though you are always right here," Hermione sighed. She wouldn't trade her daughter for anything else in the world, but the first year had been hard on them both. Hermione was still very young and neither of them had any experience with children.

"I know the feeling," he said, "But yes, I am sure she won't mind. Everyone practically begs to take her for the day anyway, but we can't forget her party tomorrow night."

"I know, how could I?" Hermione smiled in the darkness, "It's your birthday tomorrow love," she cooed to Narcissa who was almost done feeding. Hermione knew she had to start weaning her away from breast milk, as Minerva had staunchly suggested, but she would miss these moments.

"The anniversary of one of the best days of my life, save meeting you, then marrying you, and then having you save my life," he winked at her and it sent a wonderful shiver up Hermione's spine. As she watched her husband sink back into the softness of their bed, she sat back and rocked Narcissa to sleep, already anticipating the morning.

**~o0o~**

"Happy birthday chéri!" Fleur was ecstatic in the morning, bursting into the master bedroom without a second thought. She had been working for Sirius, and now Hermione, for nearly 3 years and was becoming rather intuitive about things. It was clear to everyone, not just Sirius and Hermione, that Fleur adored Narcissa and was wonderful with her, already helping her to develop a small vocabulary and was perfectly attentive. Yet, now that the manor was seeing so many guests in and out of its doors, she was quite busy on a daily basis to be something of a governess as well.

Narcissa smiled happily in Fleur's lithe, long arms as the beautiful woman scooped her up, not really caring that Hermione and Sirius were in a state of undress. She had seen and heard them in worse positions, and she could never judge. She loved and was thankful for their little family that she was a part of.

"Could you give her a bath, and make her breakfast? I wish we had someone else to watch her while you cooked for today, but could you? Sirius and I would…" Hermione blushed. Even after all this time, the thought of what he was about to do to her turned her cheeks a pretty pink. Sirius found it enchanting and held her hand softly under the covers.

Fleur got the basics of the request easily and with a little smirk, nodded, "Today is a day for celebration, we can worry about finding someone for Cissy tomorrow, enjoy," was all she said with a wink before bouncing the birthday girl up and down in her arms and leaving them alone to enjoy the morning.

Sirius and Hermione looked at each other for a long moment. It wasn't as if they hadn't been alone since Narcissa was born, but it just had been harder to. Sirius had been so afraid of hurting her body the few months after pregnancy, still a bit tormented by the screams of his precious wife during childbirth and then the subsequent ones of his beloved cousin's a few months later. Then, Narcissa had had so much trouble sleeping through the night. Although Minerva and Fleur helped, Hermione still wanted to be up with her daughter and subsequently, Sirius joined them. When that had finally stopped in the recent weeks, Sirius tried his best to let Hermione catch up on rest. She was paler than usual and rather worn out, but he longed for the few months of marriage they had before Narcissa was born, as much as his darling daughter brought joy to his life, he wanted to reconnect with the woman who changed everything.

"You look quite handsome this morning," Hermione said shyly, moving under the covers closer to him, putting her hands on his chest and sighing for the happy reprieve from responsibility. She couldn't deny that even though it had only been slightly over two years since she had met him, he looked even younger if that were possible. The worry lines on his face had softened and now he was always smiling. He didn't have the crushing weight of debt or death on his shoulders and he had happiness, family, love, and a career surrounding and supporting him on a daily basis.

"And you look simply breathtaking," Sirius whispered. Although his wife was a little bit thinner than even before she was pregnant, she still was glowing. He smirked knowing that the glow had not left her face since he slipped the engagement ring around her finger and had only intensified at their wedding and the night Narcissa was born. He was sure he would never see a woman that ever came close to comparing to Hermione's simple, perfect beauty.

"Such a flatterer," she teased him, finding it hard to be so close to him and alone without touching him and she began trailing kisses up his neck. He gave a low moan, closing his eyes for a moment to completely lose himself in his wife's attentions, "would you expect anything less from me?"

His smile was sinful and Hermione rolled on top of him, kissing him more passionately, her lips moving towards his and both were surprised at how amazing the kiss was. They hadn't really had time to kiss like this, but they fell into a perfect rhythm immediately, and even though both of them were thoroughly skilled with each other at this point, they knew it would never become dull.

Sirius moved to pull his already low slung black silk sleep pants off of him, but Hermione stopped him with a lustful, but slightly nervous look on her face, "Not here."

His heart started to race. Those two words would have been cryptic to anyone else, but he sat up, put his arms around her and kissed her hard before pulling away. Hermione was beautifully flushed and tightened her short robe around her as they both got out of bed, her eyes trailing down his bare chest to where his pelvis formed a 'v' shape and led to his prominent erection pressing against his sleep pants.

He opened his nightstand drawer, took out a key, and then took her hand and they crept out of their bedroom with all the adrenaline of the two young lovers they were sneaking off to be alone, and made their way slowly down one flight of stairs to the second floor of the manor.

Hermione was thankful they had carpeted the staircase with lush fabric form Italy that Sirius had absolutely fallen in love with, as it prevented any noise from echoing further. It had originally been done to prevent baby Narcissa from awakening if they needed to move about in the night, but now it was serving an entirely different purpose.

They heard Fleur softly singing downstairs, assumedly to Narcissa, and the sound of Neville cleaning. Sirius gave Hermione a heart-stopping look as they paused in front of the door at the end of the second floor hallway. He placed the key in the lock and he turned it open.

The last time they had been in this room was right around the time she was six month's pregnant, although it was more for the location than anything inside of it, as Sirius had been frustratingly gentle (in Hermione's opinion) with her while she was carrying his baby. They had simply made love because they couldn't wait to get to the bedroom.

When Hermione had first learned of the true identity of this room, it had been right before he had proposed to her, and she was a bit shocked but simultaneously turned on at the thought of what it held and meant. Of course, she had also been jealous of the many others that had no doubt been privy to this room, but she knew now in her heart that she would be the only one to ever see it again.

She gripped her husband's hand tighter. She trusted him, and she knew he would never hurt her, but she wanted all parts of him, and now that she was healthy and back to her normal self, she wanted to start exploring with him.

"Are you sure?" his voice was a whisper as he moved away from her, grabbed the matchbook on a low table and began lighting a few candles. He always thought it looked better this way, without the harsh light, and since she had come into his life, she had turned him back to the romantic he once was.

Hermione nodded and looked around the spacious room, the ache between her thighs very noticeable, but pleasant. Everything was so sumptuous looking, from the dark hardwood flooring, to the furniture, stained a deep brown color. There were a few armless chairs, some low armoires, and a long, wide, leather tufted bench where she and Sirius had had their first encounter in the room. The one thing that was different this time was that the room now had a gorgeous four-poster bed with intricately carved wood posts in the same deep color as the rest of the room. The sheets and coverlet were a deep sapphire blue, Sirius' favorite shade.

"When did you have this put in here?" she asked, her breath almost gone as Sirius waved out the match and walked back towards her. His stance had changed and his movements towards her were sexy and almost predatory.

"A few weeks ago. I didn't like how impersonal it was in here, and just because I want to show you things, doesn't mean I don't want to make love to you after," he reached around her and pulled him close to her by the waist. Hermione gasped happily when she felt that his erection hadn't waned at all and it was stiff and warm against her stomach, "Stand there," Sirius suddenly ordered her, his voice loud, cool, and perfectly dominating in a way that made Hermione's legs shake. She nodded once again.

He moved over to one of the low armoires and opened the top drawer. Hermione watched him take something black out of it and fold it in his hands before returning to her. He kissed her deeply and then moved behind her. In a moment she lost all of her sight when what he was holding, a piece of black silk, was moved to cover her eyes and tied tightly, but not too tightly, around the back of her curly hair. She breathed in sharply, as the sensation felt foreign to her and she felt Sirius place a kiss on the back of her head before his hands ran down to hold her hips and push her body, rather forcefully, back into his, so that his warm length was resting right above the cleft of her arse. He moved his hips against her, making her moan out softly, and then his skilled hands jumped to the tie of her robe, undoing it quickly and pushing it off of her.

Hermione felt the lovely cool sensation all over her body of being exposed and she wished she could see the way he was looking at her, although she did have to admit the deprivation of sight made her body more alert than it had ever been. She could hear things she didn't before: Sirius' very low, nearly silent, appreciative moans over her body, the sound the pads of his fingers made as he ran them over her skin, and the soft, wet sound of his finger entering her wet center unexpectedly. She nearly jumped when he did this and he chuckled. It was an amused chuckle, deep, and full of sensual promise and it made her even wetter for him.

"Walk," he ordered her and although she was afraid, she did as she was told, noticing he was helping guide her as he walked behind her. Soon, her stomach ran into something soft, which she discerned was the side of the bed, and Sirius helped her up on top of it. She felt the slip of silk sheet under her as he maneuvered her the way he wanted her. She felt him lift one arm up and place something around her wrist. He did this with the other wrist, deciding that that was enough of a restraint for now and quickly relieved himself of his pants before getting onto the bed again.

He watched as Hermione methodically tested her restraints, figuring out what they were and trying to fight against them for a moment to figure out how strong they were. He took himself in his hand and greedily stroked himself for a second. He found he couldn't help himself, wanting to savor looking at her. He could almost see her brain clicking away underneath the blindfold, and watched as her body became flushed with arousal, loving the way she looked spread out for him. It was encouraging to Sirius that even though only her arms were held back, she still spread her legs for him eagerly and he couldn't help but want to taste her.

Hermione was shocked to feel his lips upon her there, but in a wonderful way. Every touch and lick and kiss he placed on her most intimate part seemed intensified and she was quickly racing towards her first orgasm of the morning. Sirius seemed to be taking his time and enjoying it. She heard him moan against her there, his stubble against her lower lips only exciting her further until she was unable to stop herself from bucking her hips up and moaning. His lips ghosted against her clit, and he reached under her when she arched her back off of the bed to squeeze her arse firmly and show her he was in charge of her pleasure for the morning. Hermione wriggled, at a frustrated plateau.

Although he kept one finger lightly flicking and swirling around her clit, careful to not apply too much pressure to send her over the edge, he started to kiss up her thighs, laying his head for a moment down on her flat stomach.

He ran his hand over her belly button, the skin there still a bit soft from returning to normal after the pregnancy, but he loved her even more like this and he continued to kiss up to her breasts, swollen with milk, and was careful when placing kisses on her hard nipples and gently caressing her gorgeous cleavage. She could soon sense that he was hovering over her and she whimpered with need when she felt the head of his cock poke into her stomach.

"Do you want me Hermione?" his voice was in her ear and her wrists pulled frantically against the restraints to try and touch him, to pull him closer to her and inside of her. She knew there would be bruising on the delicate skin there and yet the thought only turned her on more.

"Please Sirius," she begged. He had to hold his breath as the sweet sound of her voice begging him almost made him come. It had been much too long for either of them and he kissed her lips softly, almost teasingly, before pulling away again.

"You didn't answer my question," his voice was rough, fraught with lust.

"Yes, yes Sirius, please," she answered almost immediately, and the second the words left her lips he sheathed himself inside of her, thrusting into her harder than he had in a long while.

She was consumed with lust with every measured stroke as she arched into him, willing him to go deeper into her, although she didn't even know if it was possible. She felt his hands reach up into her hair and pull the blindfold off, and it nearly made her orgasm to just look into his intense eyes for the first time once again. They never lost eye contact and he kept one strong hand firmly on her hip and the other spreading her juices over her clit as he thrust into her with abandon. Hermione struggled against her bindings as they rattled but never buckled, leaving her completely at his mercy and under his control. It was a heady feeling and it combined beautifully with the all-encompassing wave of ecstasy that made her body tense with him in it, and she rode out one of the best orgasms of her short life. In the nearly feverish moments that followed, she was amazed at how their coupling only got better and better, and how, even though he had still been gentle with her in this taboo room, it had still taken her to a new place of pleasure. She smiled as her lover and husband spilled himself onto her stomach and she looked down at his seed splattered all over her skin.

"I don't know about you love, but I don't want another one so quickly," he breathlessly joked at forgetting contraception in their haste, and kissed her forehead that was slightly shiny from sweat. With a gentle touch, he released her wrists from the restraints and took time kissing and massaging where her porcelain skin had rubbed slightly raw in a few places before curling up on the bed besides her.

Hermione was glad to have her arms back and she draped them around Sirius, kissing him gently in between deep breaths.

"More will come," Sirius stated with delicious promise in his words, in a sleepy, boyish voice as he held her tightly to him. From somewhere downstairs they heard Narcissa cry out, but lay in the bed for a few more moments longer, just enjoying being close.

**~o0o~**

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this first taste of married/baby life with our favorite couple. I would love a review to her what you think and how you think her first birthday will go! Who are you hoping to see there? If you want to get updates on the progress of this story, follow me on Twitter at Rileyxpotter17**


	2. One

**A/N: Thank you all for your interest in this story! I have been overjoyed seeing the favorites, follows, and reviews and to see your enthusiasm! Let's keep it going, shall we?**

**~o0o~**

"Mama…" Narcissa's sweet little voice trailed off as they walked into the Pére-Lachaise cemetery in the middle of the afternoon. Hermione held her daughter on her hip, struggling now that she was quite a bit heavier than she was as a baby, and walked with her to the grave she knew well. When they arrived, Hermione set Narcissa down in front of the headstone of the woman she was named after and handed her child the small pink rose that they had picked up from a street vendor on the way. Hermione helped Narcissa lay the flower in front of the gravestone of Narcissa Malfoy neé Black and they stood there for a long moment.

"I miss you," Hermione said softly to the grave, "It's Cissa's first birthday and I can't believe how big she is," she smiled down at her likeness, holding Narcissa's hand as she stood and wobbled a bit in her tiny dress shoes, "Sirius sends all of his love and I really wish you could be here sometimes…to tell me what to do. It's _so_ hard…"

"Mama no cry!" Narcissa looked up at Hermione with wide eyes and she took her immediately up into her arms, sobbing onto her little girl. She was amazed at the blessing of her, and how she was already so smart. Her first semi-coherent sentence shocked her, that it would be on today of all days, but it was just what she needed to hear. She rocked her in her arms, said a silent goodbye to Narcissa's grave, and they walked back home together.

Hermione thought it was only right to visit the woman who was like a mother to her on Narcissa's first birthday, even though she went and had private conversations with her at least once a week. She hoped, wherever Narcissa was, that she could see their little family and was happy for it.

Because Hermione had sobbed all over Narcissa's lacy dress, Fleur took the child out of her arms the second they came home and changed her into another dress for the party. Sirius was sitting in the drawing room with a cigar and a smile on his face, dressed up nicely for the occasion.

"Come here love," he motioned to her, putting his cigar in the ashtray and beckoning her over with his arms outstretched. Even in her nice dress, Hermione gathered herself up onto his lap, a pile of petticoats and soft silk, and snuggled into her husband's chest.

"I miss her."

"We all miss her."

"I don't feel like I am a good mother, Sirius. I don't know if what Cissa is doing is alright…I…" Hermione was beside herself with worry.

"You are an amazing mother and I never want to hear you say such a thing again, do you understand?" Sirius ordered her with a faux look of sternness that made her giggle when he titled her chin up so that he could look her in the eye, "When Dora gets here, the pair of you can commiserate."

The knocker sounded against the door mere seconds after his statement and Sirius couldn't have looked more pleased with himself for his timing, helping Hermione out of his lap, but not before sneaking a feel of her breasts pushed tight against her corset.

Luna Lovegood walked into the room helping Minerva carry a delicious looking birthday cake and they set it on the sideboard in the adjacent dining room. Hermione saw her sneak a glance at her now husband as he answered the door. She now lived at the manor with Neville in a bigger room, along with Fleur and Minerva and everyone thought they made a wonderful pair.

"Mr. and Mrs. Snape, very nice to see you," Neville said excitedly, trying to remember his duties as a butler even though Sirius had become much more lax with formalities and they were all such good friends it hardly mattered. Yet still Neville took Severus' top hat and Dora's coat before ushering them in.

Hermione rushed Dora in a less than graceful hug, nearly squishing her six-month old in the process. Sirius extracted the little boy, his godson, and held him while the two women embraced for a long time. He turned his attention to Severus, giving his now dear friend a smile.

"Where is the little princess?" Severus asked, looking around and not finding the little girl who had stolen his heart along with everyone else's the day she was born. Even though he had his son, Severus had a soft spot the Seine wide for Narcissa.

"I am sure Fleur is preening the poor child half to death," Sirius laughed and hugged the little boy close to him, stroking his baby fine black hair on the top of his head. However, he hardly had a moment alone with his godson before Hermione snatched him away.

"Henri Laurent how I have missed you!" Hermione rubbed noses with the happy baby boy as Dora watched on. He had the disposition of his mother and everyone was grateful for that. He smiled and grabbed for Hermione's curls.

"It's only been a few weeks Hermione, _I_ wouldn't miss him. I barely sleep!" Dora sighed.

"You barely sleep for other reasons," Snape managed to throw in lasciviously and she blushed.

"At it again already, _my my_ dear cousin you are going to have yourself a whole army!" Sirius laughed but was almost knocked over when he felt something hit hard against his legs.

"Oops!" Fleur shrugged and he looked down to see his daughter clutching at his legs for balance as Fleur had let her go walking on her own. He scooped her up and handed her to Severus, as he could tell he was dying to hold her.

"Happy birthday sweetheart," he smiled at her in his low, cool, drawl. Narcissa grinned and although both men knew she would not remember her first birthday, or the next few to come, they were glad for the happy memories all the same and the chance to be together under wonderful circumstances.

"Sev!" Narcissa gurgled, and Fleur clapped her hands together excitedly.

"It worked! Ah, such a good little girl," she swooped in and kissed Narcissa on the forehead and Severus looked about to melt.

"Alright, alright, enough charming young lady. You are only one and already you have them wrapped around your finger," Sirius shook his head, shuddering to think of what she was going to be like at 16, and then quickly placed that horrifying thought out of his mind. Minerva bustled around, practically begging Dora to sit down and get off her feet, and she took Henri in her arms so that his mother could have a moments reprieve with friends. The four sat down and Fleur, Minerva, Narcissa, and Henri sat off to the side on the floor, playing. Narcissa was already fascinated with Henri and always wanted to be near the little boy. Hermione found it positively endearing, always joking with Dora that they were a match made in heaven already.

"It's the Potters!" Neville's excited voice was heard from the foyer and Hermione was up in an instant, running towards Ginny and hugging her hard. Sirius embraced Harry and they quickly fell into a conversation about their unborn baby. Hermione felt Ginny's small bump with a smile on her face and remarked that the red-head was glowing beautifully from the pregnancy.

"I feel awful though, Harry says it will pass but I think it is getting worse…" Ginny said with just a trace of fear in her eyes as she sat down in the armchair next to Dora's, "I don't know how you both did it. I'm frightened."

"It's worth it," Hermione smiled, glancing over at her little angel in Fleur's arms.

"On _most_ days," Dora amended with a smirk.

Ron, George, and Fred were next to arrive and were eager to give hugs and kisses to the birthday girl. Narcissa loved any Weasley that came within a five foot radius of her and she seemed to know of their presence as well, squealing loudly when they were around. Fred and George still worked on Sirius' finances, and had plenty to do now that he was publishing again to wonderful success, but they were also talking about starting their own business soon and were very excited about the prospect. They lived together in a little townhouse near the manor and often popped by unexpectedly for tea, which Narcissa loved to no end. Ron's painting career was exceedingly prosperous, even more so than Harry's (which was of no mind to the green-eyed man, as he was much too content with his wife and baby on the way) and he traveled often, making friends with artists all over. Hermione was glad that he looked well and vowed to get him alone to question if a pretty girl had come into his life.

Andromeda Black was next to arrive with Pansy Parkinson, who she had taken in as her ward now that her house was vacated of Bellatrix and Pansy immediately gravitated towards Fleur to play with the two children. Their relationship had flourished, but only did so behind closed doors and with family and friends, and their moments together were precious to all who watched and accepted. Andromeda was happy to see her daughter, even though they saw each other on most days now, and was eager to talk to Ginny about her pregnancy.

Hermione had of course extended the invitation to Remus Lupin but her and Sirius' contact with him since Narcissa's death had been off and on. Some months were better than others, and although he was a part of baby Narcissa's life, it wasn't as often or in the same capacity as the Snapes or the Potters. Hermione knew it was still hard for him and he had buried himself in his work for nearly the last two years since her death, but she still wanted him around. Even though he shared a place with Ron, he admitted to hardly ever seeing Remus when he was working and as a result, Remus had gone on to be the darling of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Everyone was happy for him, but they missed his gentle presence.

Therefore, the whole of the crowded drawing room was surprised when there was a final knock on the door and Neville appeared a few moments later with Remus in tow.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized but it didn't matter to anyone. They were all happy that he looked to be in good spirits and wasn't as skinny as he was a few months prior.

"How are you?" Sirius whispered into his friend's ear when they embraced. He would have never pictured himself best friends with the man who had once loved his wife, but he cared for him so deeply, as he did for Severus, another surprise on the same front.

"Getting by," Remus replied, a little bit of emotion welling up in his voice as he let go of Sirius and moved to crouch down to where Henri and Narcissa were playing. He patted the little boy on the head gently and with a little coaxing, drew Narcissa into a birthday hug. Hermione was sure she wasn't the only one who noticed the tear streak down his face as he did so, but no one mentioned it.

After some general catching up, Minerva ushered them into the dining room and all of the adults took a seat around the polished cherry wood table as Neville and Luna took Narcissa and Henri to eat at a smaller table and keep them occupied as Fleur and Minerva served dinner. Although Hermione and Dora kept sneaking anxious looks at their babies, they were thankful for the moment to have a normal conversation that didn't center on child-rearing.

"Did any of you see the article on Bellatrix in the paper today?" George asked, glancing around the table after a bite of the delicious roast cooked up for the occasion. Besides Andromeda blanching, there was general ignorance to said article, as most of them had taken to not reading the paper after the terrible events that had taken place just up the street almost two years ago.

"What did it say?" Severus drawled.

"It just came out that she had a baby in prison. He's almost one now, and no one knew about it. Apparently they let her keep him until he was weaned off of her to try and show they weren't complete barbarians, but they are sending the child to an orphanage next week," George repeated the highlights of the article.

"Whose baby would she have had?" Ginny gasped in disgust. The thought of Bellatrix was enough to make any one at the table lose their appetite.

"Whose do you think, Gin…" Dora said coldly. It was on the tips of all of their tongues. Tom Riddle's baby.

He had been given a life sentence and she a 35 year one, so it was pretty obvious that neither would make it out so see their child, at least until Bellatrix was very old. But what was odd was the fact that this news was just coming to light.

"But why tell us all now?" Sirius wondered out loud, "Daft papers".

"I don't know, she's the only woman at Saint-Lazaré and I don't think they knew what to do with her in such a predicament," Fred chimed in, shrugging.

"Well, I hope we will be a happier little boy than his parents, and much less evil," Hermione raised her glass.

"Cheers to that, and Narcissa's birthday of course!" Harry finished the toast and there was happy clinking all around.

**~o0o~**

It was a little bit after midnight when everyone was gone from the manor. Narcissa had enjoyed getting cake all over her adorable face and had loved her presents (a stuffed rabbit from Severus and Dora, a collection of fairytales from Ginny and Harry, soft sweets and a doll from the Weasley boys, and a miniature play painting toy set from Remus). There was no overstaying of welcomes in the manor, as Sirius and Hermione wanted their friends around for as long as possible, but eventually Narcissa and Henri were very grumpy from being kept up so late and everyone trickled out, full of food, good wine, and happy from the evening together.

When Narcissa was fed from Hermione and put to bed, Sirius suggested she have a bath. As she sat in the warm water in the large master bath that could have held four people, she realized what good ideas her husband was full of. She laid her head back on the cool marble of the rim of the tub and closed her eyes, letting the sudsy water ebb and flow over her curves with each rise and fall of her chest. When water suddenly splashed up her neck and face, Hermione opened her eyes to see Sirius stepping into the tub, naked as the day he was born.

"You don't mind if I join you, do you?" he asked with a smirk and although she blushed at the sight of his body, she nodded with a grin of her own. He sighed as he submerged himself in the warm water and sunk all the way down until everything but the top of his head was covered. He emerged with a cheeky grin a second later and ran his hand over his wet face.

"Such a child," Hermione teased him as he made his way closer to her, finally maneuvering himself next to her against the edge of the tub.

"I think you are going to want to take that back in a second," his voice reached the seductively low pitch that meant he was up to no good and her belly clenched in anticipation when his fingers were suddenly running back and forth on her upper thigh. If she was tired a moment ago, she wasn't anymore.

She enjoyed his touches under the water, making his cock grow with each little moan that passed from her mouth and the way her eyes fluttered closed every once in a while when the teasing became a little too much to bear.

When he dipped his skilled fingers down into her folds she reached out desperately for his cock, grabbing it at the base and stroking it up and down, the water now splashing slightly over the edges of the tub when she moved quickly to straddle him.

Sirius was slack-jawed for a moment as he looked at his wife's naked body, her chest now uncovered by the bubbles in the water and he reached up to cup her slick breasts in near reverence. She watched him with a satisfied smile, always pleased when he seemed just as in awe of her as she was him and none too gently grinded herself against his lap.

"Look at you, you little minx. Going to be the death of me," he managed to get out between a sharp gasp of pleasure that came when she allowed just the tip of him inside of her.

"You started it," she bit her lip and flushed.

"That's right, I did. And I'm going to finish it."

**A/N: Sorry to leave you all there, but I thought that was a nice little finish. Go on and use your imagination for the rest because I promise you that you won't be deprived of their intimate moments in the future! I would love a review! Thank you for reading. **


	3. A New Face

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for my extended absence, but I took a little time off of writing for a much needed vacation with the family. **

**This chapter is a bit slow, as things are starting to rev up for later chapters, so hang in there! We will also be meeting a new OC which I have **_**onecelestialbeing**_** and **_**Benkins**_** to thank for helping me create. Hope you like her!**

**~o0o~**

"Darling, come here before you faint of exhaustion," Severus beckoned his wife to their bed, already under the sheets. Nymphadora shook her head resolutely, holding baby Henri in her arms and rocking him back and forth, although he was already fast asleep.

"I can't bring myself to put him down right now Sev, I just…" she was on the verge of tears and he could tell. Henri was a beautiful child, but very fussy and very loud. It was honestly a miracle that he was actually asleep and all Severus wanted was to put his arms around his gorgeous wife and hold her. He couldn't believe he was actually jealous of his son, a little boy that couldn't even say 'daddy' yet.

With an affected sigh, Severus pushed the covers off of his body and walked to where his wife was standing in the middle of the room. Henri's basinet was only a few steps away and he gently extracted the sleeping boy from her arms and laid him down in his own bed before returning to her. He looked down at Dora with a gentleness in his eyes that very few people saw and took both of her small hands in his, drawing them up to his lips and kissing her knuckles.

"I love you," she breathed out, incredibly thankful that he had once again saved her from a small fit of panic. She was in way over her head with Henri and she felt lost. Although her mother was very helpful, it still didn't prevent Dora from rushing to his crib once a night to make sure he was still breathing.

"I love the way that you love him," Severus said in earnest, "But he is in dreamland and there is somewhere else I have in mind for you."

Although Dora was exhausted, physically and mentally, she had never ceased being playful and spontaneous, nor had her attraction for her husband decreased one bit, and with all of the energy she had left and a silly smile, she dragged Severus back to their bed. They paused and cringed, waiting for Henri to wake when they had landed themselves on the bed a bit too fast and it had made a noise, but the child slept on and Severus opened Dora's robe with experienced fingers and a gentle touch. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down to kiss her, which he willingly obeyed, maneuvering himself on top of his love as quietly as he could manage. When their bed squeaked once more, Dora giggled, "Severus, you stop that right now! I do not want to be up all night with a crying baby!"

He pulled away from her for a second and gave her a patronizing look that always seemed to simultaneously arouse and annoy her, "Sweetheart," he spoke, his voice so low that it went straight to the place between her thighs, "Do you know what I want? More than anything in the world?" he asked, and she squirmed, trying to hide her smile when she felt his erection pressed against her stomach.

"What would that be _oh dear husband of mine_?" she was desperately trying to hide her laugh now but his hands found her waist and tickled her gently, causing her to squirm more and buck up against him, which he had no problem with. He loved the sight of her face in that innocent, pure happiness and the bell-like sound of her laugh. He didn't care if he had to stay up all night with Henri for a few seconds of that sound piercing the silence of the room.

"What I want, more than anything in the world," Severus continued, with a new sense of seriousness, "Is to fuck you into this mattress so hard that you will finally sleep in tomorrow morning".

Dora's eyes widened in anticipation and she grabbed the back of his head, weaved her fingers through his black hair, and kissed him hard.

Severus lost himself in the kiss for a moment before pulling away once again and looking at his flushed and breathless wife, now hiking up the bottom of her robe herself in need.

"I wasn't finished," his hands found hers and stopped her movements. Once she was looking at him with the rapt attention in her big eyes that he loved so much, he took his hand off of her thigh and pointed to the basinet, "That boy, in there, I love more than anything in the world besides you. You gave me the greatest gift the day he was born, and I want to make another."

He could feel her chest rise from her sharp intake of air, but her face was beautifully flushed and she smiled, "Oh Severus," she kissed his cheek gently, closing her eyes, "I want another too, as much as Henri wears me out and makes me crazy, I love that he is ours. It's never something I ever imagined happening, but always wanted-to carry your child- and I do want to do it again."

All he had to answer with was a small smile and she put her rosy lips to his ear, "But how about we start with the fucking me into the mattress part, and see what comes of it? I could really use the good night's sleep."

"Anything you wish, Mrs. Snape, anything you wish."

**~o0o~**

Since Narcissa's first birthday party, Hermione and Sirius had found it very hard to keep their hands off each other, both in private and in public, and they mutually decided that they were ready for a bit more time alone, and that it was the right moment to start looking for a caretaker for their beloved baby girl. Fleur, although slightly disappointed at the revelation that some other woman would be spending more time with her precious Cissa, was in part relieved that she could go back to her normal duties once again and promised to help Hermione on the search for someone.

Sirius and Hermione, however, were not seeing eye-to-eye on the subject, and one sunny morning, they made their feelings very clear to the entirety of the manor.

"Let's just put a call for one in the papers and be done with it!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air, which she instantly regretted due to the boning of her corset in her peony colored dress. She groaned and huffed and pulled at the silky material, looking up at her husband with a pout on her face. They had been arguing all the way down the stairs for breakfast and were standing in the middle of the foyer.

"What's wrong then love?" he asked, although he knew the answer, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"This _damned _dress and these _damned_ clothes you make me wear…"

"Yes, I do it on purpose to keep you from throwing tantrums like this one," he goaded her but she continued to pout and succeeded at ripping one of the sleeves of the very expensive dress.

"Ha! There!"

"If you want to go around in trousers and a frock coat, by all means Hermione, help yourself to my closet!" Sirius said through bouts of laughter, and she was just getting angrier.

"Maybe…_maybe I will_!"

"Hermione," Sirius said, stopping and walking towards her to put his hands on her shoulders and keep her from tearing up anymore of her dress, "The dress isn't really the problem. As far as I remember, you like your dresses and I like the way you look in them. So let's not start with all of this just because we have a difference of opinion…"

"When did you become so reasonable?" she asked, a smile spreading on her face at the silliness of it all. Even if one time long ago she wished for a wardrobe like Sirius' to prevent her from being objectified and to give her a shot at an education, those wishes were soon taken off the table when she started to work at the Bergére. She grew to like being dressed up in pretty things, even if they prevented her from making a point to her husband sometimes, but she found that she could still be herself even whilst wearing silk.

"And when did you become such a brat?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye, "_Oh wait_…"

She slapped him lightly and playfully on the chest, but they soon went back to their heated debate. They were both too intelligent to give it up easily.

"Now, about this advertisement nonsense…" he continued and with a roll of her pretty brown eyes, Hermione walked into the drawing room with Sirius hot on her heels.

"I think it is a perfect idea Sirius, I am sure there are plenty of women looking for work, and we should be doing what we can to give everyone an equal opportunity. I was once one of those women you know…" she said with fiery seriousness, and he had to admit she was right.

"But I do not want some random stranger coming into this house and watching over our child! 'Mione they could lie, or steal from us…" Sirius pleaded with her. He was not eager to lose his fortune again.

"Well, where are we supposed to find someone then? Anyone we hire is going to be a stranger Sirius. You are being ridiculous about this! Besides, governesses with good reputations are very trustworthy!"

"Oh, and now she needs a governess?" Sirius' eyes widened, "Hermione, love, I know she is your child and you are the smartest woman I know, but she can barely form a sentence. She needs a nurse, not a governess. She's only one!"

"Oh my God!" Hermione groaned, running her hands through her hair and only making the curls wilder. When Sirius caught sight of her eyes again, he saw they were leaking tears down her face. Pushing back his stubbornness, he embraced her.

"Narcissa would know what to do. She could have been her…"

"I know, love, I know. But she's not here anymore," Sirius said, mostly to remind himself of the cold and terrible fact that nothing was going to bring the elder Narcissa back from the grave, as much as they needed her.

"We have no mothers around! Dora is new to this as well, and Andromeda gave her up, so there was no need for a caretaker there. Lily…_well_, and the Weasley's never had a nurse or a governess…" Hermione sighed, exasperated.

"Let me take care of it, alright?" Sirius promised that he would and they finally made their way to the breakfast table where some croissants and tea were laid out for them already. Hermione dabbed her eyes with her napkin and Sirius shot her an apologetic smile before they both dug into their breakfast. Fleur joined them a few moments later, with Narcissa all smiles on her hip.

"She fed from the bottle while you two were deciding her fate, rather loudly I might add," Fleur remarked with the slightly sassy tone that added to the liveliness of the house and handed the bathed baby to her mother.

"Did she take to it alright?" Hermione asked, a little bit saddened that her days of breast-feeding were nearly over, but still happy at the progression.

"She was fine, Hermione, stop worrying. We'll try it again later so you can see," Fleur promised and went out to the garden where Neville, Luna, and Minerva were having their breakfast before attending to the flowers. Hermione kissed Narcissa on the forehead and ran her thumb across her incredibly soft, slightly pink cheek. Sirius watched on with a smile on his face as their daughter kissed Hermione back.

**~o0o~**

It was two weeks later when the conversation was brought up again. Hermione was lying, thoroughly exhausted and in a hazy state of bliss, next to Sirius. He had an arm draped lazily over her stomach and a stupid but contagious smile on his handsome face.

"I am never going to get tired of that," Hermione admitted, stretching out like a cat in his arms, looking adorable to Sirius and he instinctively pulled her closer, burying his face in her mass of hair and inhaling to smell the remnant of the perfume she wore that he loved.

"But you seem awfully tired though," he teased but he didn't see the smile light up her face as she rested her back against his chest with a sound of contentment, "I saw Harry today…"

"Oh?" Hermione prompted him for more sleepily, "How was he? I miss him. He and Ginny have to come over, tomorrow night maybe…"

"He's fine love, and I will make sure it happens, but I had asked him last week if he knew anyone who could be a suitable nurse for Narcissa, and although he didn't, he knew someone that would."

"Who?" Hermione's curiosity was piqued and she turned to look at her husband.

"Apparently Monsieur Dumbledore is adept at finding great help, and Harry asked him for the favor. We have a meeting with this girl tomorrow morning…"

"Tomorrow morning?" Hermione nearly screeched in nervous disbelief, "No, it's _far_ too soon…"

"I thought that was what you wanted?"

"Yes, yes, but…I'm not ready, I don't know what to ask her, I don't know if I will like her…"

"It's just one girl. We can see how we feel about her and if she isn't right, then we will try something else. Harry swears that Dumbledore's butler Cedric is top notch, and his maid Mademoiselle Chang is sweet and very capable. Dumbledore and Harry have formed such an interesting bond that I doubt the old man would lead him in the wrong direction, or me, for that matter," Sirius said soothingly and although it eased some of Hermione's fears, she still had plenty more. She trusted everyone in the house, and although she had wanted to put out an ad in the city paper, she now saw the error of her ways about trusting just anyone to waltz into their life. She loved Luna, Minerva, Fleur, and Neville and they were family. How was this new woman going to fit in? Would she even fit in?

And part of Hermione wasn't ready to give up Narcissa like that, but she knew that was what was fashionable and right in society and she wanted to be able to be with Sirius more, to make appearances in society with him, be with their friends, and let Fleur have a few days off. She also wanted to pursue hobbies that she didn't have time for at the moment. It made her feel guilty that she wanted that, and also wanted her daughter to be with her. She needed to find a middle ground.

But before she could worry herself sick, she was fast asleep in Sirius' protective arms.

**~o0o~**

"She's here!" Neville's voice rang out loudly when he saw the hansom arrive in front of the manor and everyone went into a flurry. Sirius was pacing anxiously in the drawing room next to where Hermione sat and smoothed out non-existent wrinkles in her dress. Luna and Fleur were hastily setting out tea service for their guest and Minerva stood in the corner of the room, holding Narcissa who was wide-eyed and excited at the activity.

"Can I take your travelling coat?" was the next thing out of Neville's mouth a few moments later and everyone tensed, waiting for the first glimpse of the woman. There was a rustling of fabric, and then footsteps towards the drawing room.

Everyone was shocked at the girl that stood before them.

She was beautiful and young, with a glowing pale face dotted with freckles that reminded Hermione of Ginny. Her smile reached all the way up to her light grey eyes that were large but seemed to balance out her very tall and slim frame. In some ways she almost looked breakable and stood in her neat but simple dress a bit awkwardly, as if her limbs were a bit too long and unwieldy for her. Her hair was a strawberry blonde, long down her back and all tight corkscrew curls, even tighter than Hermione's.

"I'm Claire Beaumont. Monsieur Dumbledore sent for me and said that you were a lovely family," she spoke before anyone else, blushing a bit at the lack of words from her hosts.

"You're English?" Hermione said with surprise, remembering her manners and getting up to shake the girls' hand.

"Yes, I came from London, I hope that is alright. I speak fluent French, so it won't be a problem," Claire said in perfect French to prove her point, but her accent still lingered. Hermione looked her over, trying to not look snotty as she appraised the girl that was a good five inches taller than her.

"It's perfect," Sirius interjected, carrying on the conversation in French, "Narcissa should grow up speaking more than one language."

"And I know Latin, both written and spoken," Claire went on and Hermione was both jealous and impressed.

"So you are a governess?" she asked the girl, aware of Sirius' desire for a nurse.

"Yes, but trained to be a nurse as well. I have plenty of experience and references," she started, beginning to rifle through her purse but Sirius held up his hand to stop her.

"We will look at them later," he smiled warmly, "How old are you?"

"Just a year over twenty sir," she said politely and Hermione grimaced. She liked Claire instantly, the girl was sweet and radiated a warmth that was undeniable, but she was also beautiful, and only a year younger than Hermione.

"And no children of your own?" Sirius inquired.

"None, sir."

"Very well, why don't I leave you and my wife alone to chat and get to know one another?" he suggested and Hermione gave him a wan smile, leading Claire into the drawing room. Fleur served up tea and Claire's eyes darted to the giggling Narcissa playing on Minerva's lap.

"Is that her? She's beautiful!"

"Thank you kindly," Hermione said, trying to be as detached as possible before she made up her mind, "Mademoiselle Beaumont, why did you decide to become a governess?"

"Well," Claire began with both her eyes and mouth smiling, "I have three younger brothers and my mother passed when I was very young. It came naturally. I took two jobs, one when I was fifteen, taking care of a two year old girl before she moved to Austria, and another when I was eighteen, educating a six year old girl until a few weeks ago, when I got the letter from Monsieur Dumbledore. My best friend Cho went to work for him a few years ago, and apparently she spoke highly of me and somehow it came to be known that one of his friends needed a governess…and well, to be honest, could pay more than I was making. But as I said, I do come with a good reference."

Hermione listened to her story and believed her, and didn't blame her for trying to advance her lot in life. She was a simple girl, but had obviously been educated enough and was very gifted.

"Everything you know, your languages and anything else, was that self-taught?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, we had a governess for a very short time before my mother died, but I loved learning from the start. Monsieur Dumbledore said the same about you actually, that you wouldn't want anyone at least as smart as yourself being with your darling little girl."

"Well," Hermione smirked a bit at the eccentric old man's thoughts, "He was right about that."

Both girls looked at each other for a few minutes. They were peers in most senses, but Claire had been a bit more privileged growing up, whereas Hermione was more privileged now than before. She understood where Claire came from and couldn't help but like her.

"Why don't we see how Narcissa likes you?" Hermione suggested, snapping out of her observations, and Minerva came over at once, placing the sweet one year old into Claire's able arms.

"Hi there Narcissa, I'm Claire," the girl said sweetly and after a few times of repeating it, 'Claire' came forth on Narcissa's lips and Hermione felt a pang of jealousy and pride at the same time. Hermione excused herself to let them bond under Minerva's watchful eye, knowing full well that she was going to ask Sirius to hire her as Narcissa's nurse and governess.

"Do you like her?" Sirius asked when Hermione retreated into the foyer, where he had been standing anxiously.

"I do, actually…_surprisingly_…" she added with a bit of disdain in her voice that Sirius caught.

"What is it love?"

"She's…" Hermione looked up at her husband with pleading eyes, "Well, just promise me that you won't be one of those husbands that we all hear whispers about that have an affair with their governess?"

"That's what all this hesitation is about?" Sirius laughed and hugged his wife to him, "Hermione, I swear on my life that you are all I could ever need. Those daft society men are all fools for not realizing what they have at home, to feel the need to run off with a tart for the night!"

"I was once a tart," she blushed at his logic and he rolled his eyes and said, "But I didn't leave anyone for you. And you were much more than a tart. Hardly a tart at all, I'd say. You were and still are the most gorgeous and fascinating creature on this planet, Hermione. Mademoiselle Beaumont is sweet, has a good reputation, comes cheaper than I anticipated, and is going to give us more time alone. And that is all I care about."

"You are a shameless flatterer," Hermione sighed, her eyes telling a different story, however, as she becomingly stared up at him before giving him a lingering kiss, "I guess we should go and welcome her into the family?"

"It's all the truth love, now let's go," he smiled, turning her back towards the drawing room which was emitting happy giggles from Narcissa, and slapped Hermione on the arse discreetly before they joined their new governess.

**A/N: Hope you like! There is much more in store for Miss Claire, and don't worry, she won't be taking Sirius away from our beloved Hermione! She's a good girl **** I'd love a review though! Drop by and tell me what you think!**


	4. Beginnings

**A/N: Thanks for bearing with me between updates. You guys are the best and very supportive. Also, if you need something new to read, please please check out my collaborative story with VenusInHerHair called "Sweeter Than Heaven and Hotter Than Hell" on my profile. Thank you!**

**Also, remember that time is passing is rather large jumps between chapter. This is about 5 months later than the previous chapter. Enjoy.**

**~o0o~**

"Sweet, sweet little boy. Don't cry," a wet nurse of a small orphanage just outside of the city cooed to the boy in her arms. He was almost old enough to know better…nearly a year and a half of age, and nearly too big to be held and coddled, but this particular nurse had taken a liking to him.

He was the strangest of the thirty orphans and the most beautiful by far. Most of the time he was a very quiet, pensive child, but lately he had taken to crying out for attention whenever possible. He didn't understand why he had been taken from his mother and would not associate with the other children. Being such a lovely and young boy, the nurses and the head of the orphanage thought they would be able to place him with a family easily, but news has spread quickly throughout Paris from the newspapers that he was the illegitimate son of Thomas Riddle and Bellatrix Black and no one wanted to bear that burden.

Most potential parents who came to the orphanage were either very wealthy and could not have children due to some unfortunate medical situation or were very poor with the same problem, but simply needed another pair of hands to grow up and help support the family, which would eventually offset the cost of another mouth to feed. Yet despite the distinct differences of class, neither wanted an orphan with a terrible lineage in fear that if one day either of his parents were released from prison, the situation would be scandalous.

The nurses, especially this one, Marie, always insisted that he was too young and would eventually not remember a thing about any previous life. There were whispers that Tom Riddle would be facing the barbaric guillotine soon for his crimes and that it would be a far cry if Bellatrix ever saw the light of day again. Marie just hoped that he would be able to have a normal life.

"What if, little Édouard, we change your fate?" she spoke to the little boy who had settled down in her arms and she carried him over to his little bed. He smiled at her, a smile he reserved for very special occasions and never showed to the other children, and part of Marie fancied that he understood her in some way.

After tucking him into bed, she took a lamp and stole quietly to the room of the orphanage where the children's records were kept. Marie took a long time in making sure her penmanship directly copied that on the original document, but soon enough, Édouard Thomas Riddle was newly christened Éduoard Thomas Dubois.

She could barely sleep that night, restless and worried that she would be let go from her job for such a lie, but the next morning, when a wealthy young couple, absolutely distraught that they had been trying for three years to have a baby and could not, showed up to the orphanage in search of one to call their own, they took an immediate interest in Édouard. Every morning, the children were dressed in combed and preened into fine little outfits, and baby Éduoard, standing with the help of a hand from Marie, stole the young woman's heart with his fine baby black hair and dark eyes. The couple themselves had dark features and soon, they agreed to be his foster parents. Marie held her breath when her superior went to retrieve his papers, and didn't bat an eye at the change on them. He was presented with the last name Dubois and no one was the wiser. The only sign the deception was acknowledged was a short nod from the owner of the orphanage, followed by a relieved smile. They were happy themselves to have such a boy off their hands and Marie kissed his little cheek goodbye.

**~o0o~**

Harry Potter was all smiles when he opened the door to his home to welcome in Sirius, Hermione, and Claire, who was holding Narcissa's hand.

"I'm Harry, please, do not call me Monsieur Potter, it makes me feel so old, my wife feels the same," Harry introduced himself with an amiable laugh to Claire warmly and pointed to where she could take Narcissa before embracing his best friend and surrogate father.

"Congratulations, I can't wait to see her!" Hermione beamed in delight. The Potters had just welcomed their first child into the world merely a week prior and everyone had been clamoring to get a glimpse of the baby. Although Ginny was hesitant to expose her to anyone so early, Harry had convinced her that a dinner party with friends would not hurt her one bit.

"You look just like I did not too long ago," Sirius chuckled, patting Harry on the back. He had immediately recognized the look of fatherhood on Harry's face: extreme fatigue and unmatched bliss. With a weak but sincere smile from Harry, the three moved into the cozy home, slightly smaller than Sirius' manor and decorated much less ornately, but beautiful nonetheless. At that moment, Ginny was walking down the staircase with a tiny wrapped bundle in her arms and her face glowing.

"_Oh_…" Hermione gasped out when Ginny moved to show her and Sirius the pretty face of Lily Catherine Potter under the blankets and the couple's eyes simultaneously filled with tears. Hermione had a sharp pang of longing for another one as she glanced over at her little girl, already in the midst of playing with Henri, Severus, and Claire. Ginny was a sister to her, and she was so happy for her in every way.

"She's exquisite like her mother," Sirius winked at Ginny, leaning over to kiss the top of her red-head before letting the infant wrap her miniscule fingers around one of his. Between friends, it was almost overwhelming how abundant life was with them all, how their children were flourishing and coming into the world, and how things were changing.

"I don't think I've slept since, but I would love a glass of wine…_honestly_…I need one," Ginny told them all, and Harry was quick to oblige, happy that his wife was at least well enough to show her usual temperament again. As Harry went to get drinks (they chose not to have help in their house mainly because there were always enough Weasley's around to make things work, and Ginny was a good cook in her own right and didn't care much for what society thought) Hermione helped Ginny move to a comfortable chair in the drawing room where Nymphadora was already sipping some wine and talking to Fred and George.

"Sirius, I think my husband might kidnap your daughter if given the opportunity, so watch him," she smirked, having a perfect view of the playtime happening in the corner of the room. Severus, not ever one to make himself look a fool, was making an exception for his son and Narcissa by crawling on the floor on hands and knees pushing a wooden train that Henri was fascinated by. Narcissa was following her 'Sev', trying to jump onto his back and Claire, whose first time it was around Sirius and Hermione's friends, was cautiously taking in the scene near the children.

"Is that your governess?" Ginny asked, sinking into the chair with a nice sigh and smiling when her husband placed a glass in her hand.

"_Nurse_," Sirius corrected but Hermione rolled her eyes and further stated, "All of the above. Yes. Claire Beaumont. She's lovely and Narcissa adores her, but it's only been a few months yet."

"And no one else wanted to come tonight?" Ginny asked, slightly hurt, about Fleur, Neville, Minerva, and Luna. She had set the table for all of them.

"There's a fever going through the house, and I am desperate to have Narcissa not get it," Hermione explained. She herself had tried her best to take care of the other women when they first came down with it, even though Fleur insisted that she should be up and about, still not liking the new power struggle between herself and Claire. Fleur still felt that she had a right to Narcissa second to Hermione, and hated that she didn't get to spend much time with her. In fact, Hermione knew the blonde was probably furious at the moment with being confined to her bed.

"How awful," Dora added nervously, glancing protectively over at her little boy, "I swear I am probably going to need a nurse for him soon. He runs and runs all day long!"

"The both of you spend more time at the Manor than your own homes. I'll raise Claire's pay and she can watch them whenever you need. Promise," Sirius told both women, who seemed relieved. Although they were both financially secure, they didn't have what Sirius and Hermione had, especially now that Harry had given most of Dumbledore's money away and invested it for their children's future. However, Sirius was always happy to spoil anyone he loved.

"Oh, Remus is coming, with our brother," Fred piped up after finishing his glass of liquor and rose to get another, taking his twins' to be refilled as well. "But we'll see if he shows," George shrugged. Everyone sadly knew that Remus was still struggling, and none of them had seen him since Narcissa's first birthday.

"I'm going to make him move in with us, I swear. So at least I will know he eats!" Dora laughed but her husband, who was clearly listening to the conversation while playing with the children, looked over his shoulder and gave her a firm, "_No_". This of course caused everyone to laugh, although Severus was completely serious and pursed his lips before turning back around just in time to catch Henri and Narcissa try to both jump into his arms at the same time.

"He won't be staying here, as much as I adore him. I have _enough_ men around…" Ginny glanced none too surreptitiously over at her twin older brothers who pretended not to notice, even when she grumbled on that they had their own apartment and worked for Sirius yet they were eating through all of her food every week regardless.

The group was merrily drunk on pre-dinner spirits before the knock on the door signaled the arrival of the man they seemed to be always waiting for. Harry went to answer it and came back with a happy looking Ron with his arm around a girl with light brown hair and Remus, standing off to the side, unshaven but smiling.

"Everyone, before you all rush at Remus because you miss him…I want you to meet my fiancée, Lavender," Ron said, blushing all the way up to his hairline, loving being the center of attention for the moment. He shyly raised the girls hand so the glint of the little diamond engagement ring could be seen throughout the room. Fred and George's eyebrows looked as if they had been lost in their messy red hair and Ginny looked like she was about to go into labor again. Everyone in the room loved Ron and wanted him to be happy, especially Hermione and Harry…but the girl smiling obnoxiously in a dress cut too low to be appropriate, nearly reminding the other three women of things they used to wear at the Bergére, was instantly disagreeable.

"So good to meet you Lavender," Harry was the first to rise and congratulate the two of them and Hermione was quick to follow and the girl gushed to all of them, and gigglde way too much, but overall, seemed harmless and Ron seemed ecstatic.

While everyone was wishing the new couple well and preparing for dinner, Nymphadora lingered in her seat, watching Remus in his comfortable place-the background.

She knew the man well enough, and knew what certain looks meant when they graced his face, as they were hard to read if anyone else were to venture a guess. She followed his look, which she recognized as attraction, and found that his gaze fell upon the sweet figure of Narcissa's nurse, Claire, who was currently cleaning up the children and readying them for dinner. The young girl apparently hadn't even noticed the man, as her back was towards him, and Dora looked on happily at the small moment.

Although Remus had been one of her first loves, and he was special to her, she felt incredibly lucky every day to have married Severus and have his child. It was hard for all of his friends to see how much he had suffered after Narcissa's terrible death, and she hadn't so much as seen him look at another woman yet. With hope for some happiness for the too-thin man, she got up from her seat, made a quick introduction to the blushing Lavender, and walked over to Remus.

"How's everything?" she asked, kissing him once on both cheeks before hugging him. Dora loved the man's hugs, always tender and strong, despite his gangly frame. When she parted from him she started walking towards the dining room after the others, but tried to trail behind to time a meeting with Claire just right.

"I'm doing a few commissions, and I'll be having a few more shows, but I am doing just fine…" he seemed distracted as they came upon Claire who had Henri scooped up in one arm, taking on duties for another child flawlessly and without question, and was directing Narcissa to go towards the table for dinner.

"Oh, Claire isn't it? I'd like you to meet Monsieur Remus Lupin. He's an artist… you might have…." Dora started but the girl looked so taken aback and her pretty grey eyes went so wide that Dora was afraid she was going to drop Henri the second that she looked up at the man before her.

"Yes, I know, I've seen your work. There's a gallery, near my home in England, and it has two of your works…the one with the boats on the water at sunset, and the one of the hills at Montmatre. They are both so beautiful," she complimented in an even and quiet voice and Narcissa gently slipped away from the pair of them towards the dining room with satisfaction.

"Oh, well thank you," Remus tried his best not to blush and tried even harder to not look the young woman in the face. He suddenly felt like he was wearing clothing ill-suited for the weather and desperately wanted some reprieve from the heat sneaking up his neck under his collar. He reached to scratch his head out of nervousness, halting his conversation. He couldn't believe how pretty she was, and unaware of it at the same time. There was such an innocence surrounding her that made him feel horrible for even looking.

"You are good friends with the Blacks then? I love all of their friends, and this little one, _of course_," Claire looked down at Narcissa, who was standing quietly by her leg, looking up at Remus with interest and love on her already pretty face. Remus knelt to the floor and hugged Narcissa close, telling her he loved her, before standing back up to face Claire, but the time he tried to buy didn't take away his nerves.

"Um, _erm_, yes. And you…"

"I'm Narcissa's nurse and eventual governess, if they will have me for that long, and I guess caretaker of the whole brood," she smiled sweetly at Henri in her arm, "It's a pleasure to meet you Monsieur Lupin, but you should probably eat. I should feed these two as well."

With a lowering of her eyes and pink tint to her cheeks, Claire brushed past Remus with the children, leaving him bewildered as he walked into the dining room to take a seat at the table, where food was already laid out. Dora avoided his eyes, but smiled to herself throughout the meal.

Although conversation at the table mostly centered on getting to know Lavender, raucous jokes from the Twins, and baby Lily, Remus' uncomfortableness was clear to everyone. The way he kept glancing into the room adjacent in an agitated way caught Sirius' attention and the stiff way he said goodbye to Claire at the end of the night had Hermione smirking all the way home at the color on her nurse's face as she looked out the window of the motorcar and staunchly avoided eyes with her employers, who were now her friends.

**~o0o~**

A week later, after the fever had rippled through the lower part of the Black Manor, leaving everyone else untouched, Fleur, Minerva, and Luna were back on their feet again, with work to spare and Neville had more than enough chores to catch up on, even though Hermione and Sirius insisted they take their time. Claire had taken Narcissa to the Tuilleries, and Hermione and Sirius were out to luncheon at his publisher's, so Fleur assumed the responsibilities of dealing out tasks to everyone.

The waify blonde was preparing sauces for that night's dinner when she called for Luna for help and heard no reply. After a few more tries, she ran out of the kitchen, yelling for her over and over again and caught a glimpse of her nearly white, long hair out of the front window of the manor. She was bent over and placing some money in a young boys' hand, and in return, he placed a letter in hers. Looking around guiltily, Luna hurried back inside, but came face to face with Fleur.

"What's this?"

"Nothing," Luna clutched the letter to her body, her airy, high voice shaking a bit.

"Letters always come to the back of the house, through the postmaster, and Sirius sees them first. So what are you hiding?" Fleur asked, looking down at the slightly younger woman and trying to grasp the letter out of her hand but Luna twisted and folded it before stuffing it into her bodice.

"Luna! You can trust me!" Fleur said, shocked at her friends' behavior, "Is this something Neville doesn't know about? Because I won't tell…."

"Not right now, Fleur, please? I need to go lie down for a moment. I'll be back to help you soon. I promise," she said with a worried look on her face and scurried past Fleur to their quarters.

**~o0o~**

**A/N: So, maybe a little romance for Remus and Claire? And what do you think is up with Luna's letter? I would love a review! Thanks for reading!**


	5. Sex, Secrets, and Silence

**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for an update. But it is here now and I would really appreciate a review or some feedback! Any little bit makes me smile. Enjoy! Also, don't crucify me for the French phrase in here, if it is wrong and you know how to fix it, let me know!**

**~o0o~**

Luna Lovegood stepped off her train at the Gare de Lyon and walked with a purpose towards the Mazas prison across from the tracks. She had worn her most plain dress, with her cornsilk hair tied up and she blended right in with the poor working class people she passed around the busy station. She was pointedly reminded that she used to be one of them, and would always be to some degree, as she held tightly to the stack of letters in her hand.

Her legs shook when she entered the prison, moving slowly past the guards and joining in a line of other women and some children. Fridays were the only visiting days and she had saved for the train ticket without Neville knowing. When she reached the desk, she stated her name and the name of the man she was there to visit, was checked off a list, and led down a long hallway of cells by a man with no left leg.

"Twenty minutes," the prison guard growled to Luna, eyeing the man in the cell before him warily.

Lucius Malfoy was up at the bars, reaching for Luna's hands in a mere moment, and his tired face wore a sneer as he looked back at the guard.

"Do not speak to her with that tone," Lucius said with feigned confidence and Luna shrunk back from the confrontation that would obviously ensure. She found it hopeful that the man she once knew still had a bit of his old aristocratic self in him, but he was largely broken and looked it.

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy."

"Why should I, "Mad-Eye"?"

"I don't want to have to kill you in front of your wife," came the older man's reply before he turned and hobbled back down the cell-lined hallway. All around Luna were women standing in front of their men, separated by cold metal just as she was.

"Mad Eye? Wife?" Luna looked at Lucius with confused etched across her young face and he sighed deeply, drinking in the sight of her. It seemed to nearly blind him, as he hadn't seen anything of beauty or anyone from the outside world in almost two years. Luna surveyed him similarly, noting his dirty, disheveled prison uniform, roughly chopped off hair, and dark circles. However, his intense eyes were still the same.

"He seems to see everything in this damn place. And I lied about you being my wife. It's the only way they would let you visit me. I've written to my son as well, but he's never come…" he explained, feeling the smooth skin of her palms with his calloused fingers from hard labor.

Even though she was flattered at the term, any effect was lost in the past now, "I couldn't come any sooner. Neville…"

"I know you've moved on. You've written it to me over and over…and truthfully I didn't think you would. I'm thoroughly surprised you even wrote me back. But I've had hours upon end to think about things in here, and I wish I would have done so much differently. I hurt you and I am so incredibly sorry. But I do want to congratulate you on your happy relationship. He deserves you more than I ever did," Lucius told his former mistress, reaching out to touch her cheek softly. Luna felt sad for the both of them…that she had and still in some ways loved this man, and that there was nothing she could do to help him. She was also proud of him, at how much he seemed to have grown, albeit under miserable circumstances.

"I didn't come here to accept any apologies," Luna continued bluntly, sniffing back emotion. He cracked a small, genuine smile, and was immediately taken back to their soft, unhurried conversations in bed when she would say things so unexpected and poignant and fitting.

"I know."

"I just wanted to say goodbye, and that I can't write you anymore. I've almost gotten caught, and as much as part of me still loves you, you were right, you did hurt me, and I need to cherish the love I do have now," she passed the little stack of folded up letters into his hand and he nodded.

"You came all the way here, after two years, to say goodbye?" Lucius' voice caught, preventing him from continuing on. He was like a man drowning and he looked around frantically, as if it would help him discover something to prevent her from leaving, "But why?"

"It just seemed like the right thing to do," Luna said, her voice clear and slightly musical. With adoration, she gave him one last smile before stepping back from the cell and looking at all the other women. She knew exactly how they felt, and she never wanted to feel that way again.

"Luna…one more thing…" his slightly raspy voice called her back and with her head tilted lightly to the right, she questioned him with her large eyes.

"The child…have you seen it?"

"Pardon?"

"Tom Riddle's child…" his voice lowered and she took a step back towards him, not wanting anyone else to hear the conversation. There had been that newspaper article…but nothing else she was aware of.

"I know there is a child, but I don't know much else. How did you?"

"She told Riddle she was carrying his baby the night everything ended…" he looked away from her, ashamed, "I think she will want to be near the baby, if she isn't already. Just please, Luna. Keep safe."

Luna then nodded and hurried down the hall and out into the open air of the train yard as fast as she could.

**~o0o~**

"Claire, can you handle this?" Fleur asked the curly-haired girl agitatedly, gesturing about violently in the kitchen. Minerva placed a calming hand on Claire's shoulder and glared at Fleur, the wrinkles in her face accentuated.

"She is not a child!" Minerva reasoned.

"Is too!" Fleur shot back, scrunching up her nose, "_Elle n'a même pas encore de seins!_ And look, she can't even make a proper sauce!"

"I am a governess, not a cook!" Claire looked down at her bodice from the insult, embarrassed, but Fleur just shrugged.

"You know, I _was_ Narcissa's maid before you came along. If I can do both, then you should be able to as well, it's only one night!"

"Ladies, please," Neville entered the kitchen in full livery, his tone light and trying to calm them, but the tension could not be that easily broken.

Fleur made a shoo-ing motion towards the man and with a roll of his eyes, he straightened his jacket and walked out towards the living room.

"Do not humiliate me tonight," Fleur hissed at Claire before taking off in the opposite direction, leaving the young girl in front of a stove top full of sauces and sautés almost bubbling over. Minerva kindly reached out and started stirring one, promising that all would be well, and that the Blacks hosted dinner parties all the time. It was nothing for her to be worried about.

"Where on earth have you been?" Minerva asked over her shoulder when Luna snuck in the back door by the kitchens, clearly hoping to be unnoticed. The blonde paused, turned on her heel, and walked towards the two women cooking.

"Errands, do you need anything?"

"Did you forget about the party tonight? Set the table please?" Minerva asked and Luna rushed off. Claire couldn't help but be slightly annoyed. It seemed like all of the women around her…well, namely the blondes, were acting a bit touched in the head.

"Have you seen…oh, there you are," Hermione smiled, suddenly appearing in the kitchen door frame, dressed in a gorgeous and lavish emerald green dress that paired nicely with her brown hair, "Claire, could you please go and get Narcissa and bring her down here before the other children get here? Fleur already left. Oh, and Remus is coming after all so could you set another place? Sorry, it must have slipped my mind to tell you earlier…" and then Hermione disappeared as quickly as she had come.

"Ow!"

When she had heard his name, Claire had accidentally dropped the stirring spoon into the pot and sauce had splashed up and burned her hand. She shook it and sucked the little mark forming on her finger, blushing as she retrieved the spoon. Minerva tried her best not to grin and the young girl mumbled a quick excuse and rushed upstairs to retrieve baby Narcissa.

**~o0o~**

"You look stunning tonight," Sirius inclined his head slightly and whispered in his wife's ear. Even though Hermione was used to his constant flirting, even after years of it, she still felt instantly hot and too confined in her dress.

A small smile played on her lips as she watched their guest mingle around the drawing room in lively conversation before dinner, "You look handsome as well, Sirius."

His hand dipped from an appropriate place on her back, down towards her hips, pulling her closer to him. He kept his lips near her ear, her curls tickling the side of his face, "Dinner won't be for another half hour…let's sneak upstairs…"

Hermione gasped girlishly and looked up at her husband with a faux-affronted look which only served to turn him on more. The way her eyes flashed told him that she wanted it as badly as he did, and that the scenario was playing out in her mind.

"We_ can't_…" she felt heat rise in her cheeks as she took another glance at her friends and some very important artists and writers that made this dinner more than just a casual affair. Even Monsieur Dumbledore was there, a jovial but slightly intimidating presence.

"No one will miss us," Sirius tried to convince her, pressing his palm against her hip harder, "Let's go make another child, _please_ Hermione…"

Shifting her weight slightly to try and rid herself of the delicious tingling manifesting itself between her thighs, she contemplated it for a moment before giving her husband a tiny nod. The wicked smirk that spread itself across his face was more than well worth the embarrassment she felt as they quietly snuck away from the party.

They took the stairs softly, knowing that if anyone said anything that they could pass the disappearance off as checking in on Narcissa and the other children, but once they were on the top floor of the manor, they raced hand in hand towards their bedroom door, acting years younger than they really were.

Sirius took her in his arms and shut the door behind them, immediately pressing his wife up against it and fumbling with the tiny buttons lining the side of her dress, cursing at them. Hermione pressed herself against him, rolling her hips to try and lock against him—desperate for friction.

"Just rip the damn thing off Sirius," she keened out, surprised that it still only took her mere seconds to be in such heat for him and she reached out her arms to pull him closer to nip and suck his neck, the rouge on her lips leaving dark berry stains on his stubbled skin.

"Hermi-_oh_-…" he couldn't even finish her name before moaning when her hand reached down to grasp his growing length firmly in his dress trousers. He stiffened, trying to compose himself enough to get her out of her dress but she finally swatted his hand away and with impressive force, tore down the side seam of her dress, shrugging it off as quickly as she could.

Sirius was sure he had never been more turned on, "God I love you…"

"I know, now get me on that damn bed," Hermione looked up at him from under her long lashes, the green dress now puddled at her feet and her black corset, panties, and stockings a sight to tease Sirius even more into a fervor.

"You don't need to ask me twice," he grinned, scooping her up and depositing her on the bed before taking his place over her. More impatient than she had been in a long while, Hermione found the buttons on his trousers, undid them, and pushed them and his underwear down his thighs. At the sight of his hard cock, her back arched off the bed and her lips kissed the head of it, causing Sirius' thighs to shake, not ready for the overwhelming pleasure.

He held her shoulders, taking the burden of leaning up towards him awkwardly off of her body, and twined his hand in her messy curls as she licked around the head and then took him halfway in her mouth, tortuously sucking and swirling her tongue.

"Darling….oh God….I won't be… able to…." he gasped out, clenching his stomach to try and keep from letting himself go when she looked up at him with her big brown eyes that she had the dangerous skill of making look so innocent. He had been thinking of having her all day, had been aroused for hours, and he couldn't help his reaction.

Hermione didn't have to read his mind, as the look on his face was clear enough that he was enjoying himself so much already to the point of nearly spending, that she removed her mouth from him, wriggled out of her position under him, and proceeded to push him down on his back.

When Sirius' head hit the pillow, he was grinning like a lucky little boy as he watched his wife strip of her lacy underwear, keeping her corset on as she had learned he liked, and only undoing the top few laces so that her breasts spilled out before him.

Hermione placed her hands on his chest, curling her fingers so her nails scraped lightly down at the same time as she lowered herself onto his aching hardness. Both moaned simultaneously as they found a delicious rhythm and Sirius bucked up inside of her with abandon, cupping her full breasts and tugging at her hair, which caused her to pull herself off him slightly.

Her teasing resulted in a silent game between them, each seeing who could render the other more helpless with pleasure. He started spanking her, leaving blooming pink marks on her ivory skin and causing her to press her chest against him, writhing in ecstasy and crying out for more against his neck.

She kissed down his chest, making a show of holding the base of his cock and making him watch her slip it inside of her, moving up and down slowly as she rolled her nipples between her fingers. They both knew he loved watching her more than anything and she could feel his heat throbbing against her insides and he moved just at the right moment to lean up and press the pad of his thumb against her clit. She ground against the pressure and in a moment, Sirius was treated to the most beautiful sight in the world-her orgasm.

Still riding out the intense wave of pleasure, Hermione pressed herself to her husband and kissed him passionately—not caring about anything else in the world but him in that moment. He thrust up inside of her with measured strokes as he held onto her waist and lost himself in her kiss and touch. A few seconds later it became too much for him and he spilled himself inside of her, clutching her body close.

**~o0o~**

The children had been getting too fussy downstairs with the guests, so Claire was watching Narcissa, Henri, and Lily up in Narcissa's bedroom on the third floor. Lily was in the cradle, and Henri and Narcissa were playing with toy blocks on the floor, completely attached to each other in every way. Narcissa had even started calling out for Henri when he wasn't there and the beautiful little girl looked so peaceful playing by his side.

Claire sat in the rocking chair by the window, reading, but it hardly kept her troubling thoughts away. She had partially taken the children upstairs so as not to be in the constant presence of Remus Lupin, who seemed to have the uncanny ability to make her palms sweat whenever he was in a room with her. At least up in Narcissa's bedroom she was away from him and saved from making any clumsy mistakes in front of him.

Claire turned her attention back to her book and pushed thoughts of the artist out of her mind when she started hearing noises drastically different from the chatter downstairs. Closing the novel, she walked past the playing children and towards the open door, poking her head out into the hallway.

It was empty, but she noticed the door at the end of the hall-Sirius and Hermione's bedroom-was closed and there was light shining out from underneath. That was also where the noise was coming from.

Moaning…and lots of it. There was no other way for Claire to describe it, and even though she was a virgin, she knew what they were up to. Although she had only been working for the Blacks for a short time, there was no living in that house without realizing the couple preferred _that_ activity to anything else. But she had never…_heard_ it happening before.

Mortified, and sure she was as red in the face as Ginny Weasley's hair, she turned to go back into the room with plans to firmly lock the door when she caught sight of a tall and slightly gangly figure coming up the stairs to the landing.

Claire was exceedingly sure that dying in that very moment was a better alternative that what was facing her. Remus stepped onto the landing in his nicest dinner jacket, gave the door to his left a funny look and then caught sight of Claire.

"Mademoiselle Beaumont!" he said with a happy smile, walking over to her and the best she could do was nod as he entered Narcissa's room. It was a sight to see as Narcissa instantly dropped her block, get up from the floor, and toddle over to Remus.

"Remy!" she cried out, using her name for him and he crouched down so that he was at her level, giving her a hug filled with love and affection.

"Darling Cissa, you get more and more lovely every day, did you know that?" he told her and Narcissa grinned widely, very pleased with herself before patting Remus on the forearm and then going back to play with Henri. With a shake of his head, Remus stood up and turned to face Claire, who was biting her lip cutely and it affected him so much more than he thought something so small ever could. He cleared his throat and looked to the other side of the room.

"Dinner was served ten minutes ago and no one knows where Hermione and Sirius are…" he began, although judging from the noises coming from their bedroom, they were obviously very preoccupied.

"I…" Claire blushed, completely uncomfortable. The last thing she wanted to do was tell the man in front of her-the first man she had ever _wanted_-that her employers were having sex and were far too busy to eat.

"Yes," Remus turned a little pink, "I heard them. Those two, _I swear_…" he chuckled and trailed off, looking at the children playing and Lily sleeping soundly in the crib by the wall and then to the sweet, flawless complexion of the girl that made him happy, guilty, and excited all at the same time.

"Are they…"

"Always like that?" Remus finished her sentence for her with a smile, "Always have been since they became a couple. A lot has changed, but them being madly in love hasn't."

Claire wanted to just melt into the wall behind her and disappear. She was sure she looked a fool, grinning like a loon at a man much older than her and who clearly had a complicated past, not to mention who she thought would never be interested in someone like her-a mere wet nurse to his best friends' child.

The awkward silence seemed to stretch on for an eternity as both of them suddenly became too shy to speak in each other's presence. Narcissa noticed and looked up at Remus, tilting her little head to the side. Everyday Claire was astounded at how intuitive that little girl was, but now she was cringing that they had an audience.

Remus stuck his hands in his pockets and suddenly walked towards the door, pausing in front of Claire but not really looking at her when he said, "You look lovely tonight…and when you see Hermione and Sirius, tell them we are waiting." Without so much as a parting glance, he took off past her and took the steps down to the foyer two at a time, mentally berating himself.

**A/N: Hope you are enjoying this! More exciting things to come! (I know it is a little slow right now, but there are things in the making). Where do you think Fleur went off to? What do you think about Claire and Remus? Do tell! Will Hermione and Sirius have another baby?**


End file.
